Apparatus for removing the honey from beehives.



H. E. JOLY. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE HONEY FROM BEBHIVES.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.30, 1912.

1,092,219. Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

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J W ZVz'ZneaQea. 2 802 J L 2 L flZZOrney HENRY EDWARD JOLY, OFRA'lI-IANGAN', IRELAND.

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE HONEY FROM BEEI-IIVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914:.

Application filed October 30, 1912. Serial No. 728,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY EDWARD JoLY, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and residing at Millgrove House, Rathangan,Kildare, Ireland, have invented a certain new and useful ImprovedApparatus for Removing the Honey from Beehives, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to beehives in which the honeycomb is supportedin crates or the like and has for its object the provision of animproved apparatus for removing the honeycomb from the hives without inuring the bees, such being capable of practice with or without the aidof gloves, veils or fumigation or subduers of any kind and furtherobviates the possibility of stings.

The apparatus for effecting the removal of the honeycomb preferablyconsists in the provision of a crate or receptacle (or a plura-litythereof) which is closed on all sides but open underneath; this crate isadapted to be entirely closed by a platform or the like which has aslide or door in order that when desired, a way out for the bees may bemade. The temporary covering for the hive which consists of a quilt orthe like, is preferably attached to a flat board or the like, which isin size a little larger than the opening of the hive from which thecrate had been removed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a beehiveshowing the removal of the crate therefrom. Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3a front elevation of the plat-form adapted to close the crate, whileFig. f is a detail view of the slide or door for closing the escapeopening in the platform. Fig. 5 is a side view showing the temporaryquilt or covering attached to the board adapted to assist in placing thecovering in position. 7

In carrying out the invention according to one convenient mode asapplied to a beehive of the ordinary box form, a crate 1, is providedwhich is closed on all sides save underneath, which is open, thehoneycomb and some of the bees being lodged therein.

In the drawings, the hive is shown with the roof removed and the cratebeing slid upon a platform 2. This platform is provided upon the sideadapted to abut against the hive with two projections 3, which may beconveniently formed of two fiat pieces of iron screwed to the board, orthe platform may be provided with a clip or clamp to hold such inposition. The projections 3 are adapted to lie in slots formed in theupper edge of one side of the hive so that a tight joint is made whenthe platform is brought into position, thus preventing the escape of anybees betwixt the hive and platform. Upon the opposite side of theplatform a cut-out portion is provided. When it is desired that the beesshould not escape from the crate, and in the normal condition whenadapted to receive the crate from the hive, this opening is closed by aslide piece 6 door or the like which prevents any of these escaping.

A temporary covering for the hive is indicated at 7, which is lightlytacked to the end of a board 8, the board being slightly larger in areathan the opening at the top of the hive.

When it is desired to remove the honeycomb from the beehive, theoperator will wait until it is dark and all the bees are in the hivewhen he will close the opening or entrance to the hive indicated at 9with a cloth or plug of some sort placing it firmly in so that the beescannot find egress through their usual exit. The. operator will thenremove. the top or cover of the hive and loosen the crate, 1, from thebody of the hive in the usual way without letting any of the bees escapeand will place the receiving platform or board 2 against the side of thehive as shown in Fig. 1, the board 8 with the canvas quilt attachedbeing now placed preferably by a second person against the side of thecrate to be removed so that none of the bees can escape in thisdirection while the crate is being moved off the hive on to thereceiving board or platform 2. When the crate has been placed inposition upon the board, the temporary covering will be in position overthe top of the hive when it may be detached from the board 8 employedfor positioning it. The

usual woolen quilt and top of the hive are then replaced upon the hive,this being done before taking the cloth or plug out of the entrance. Thecrate upon the receiving board is then transferred to an open house orshed or any suitable shelter some distance from the hive and thereceiving board or platform placed on its feet on the floor or any otherflat surface when the operator will remove the slide 6 and strip off theusual quilt which covers the top of the crate. In the morning the beeswill fly back to their hive leaving the honeycomb in the crates free tobe removed by the operator.

When moving crates with honey off the hive on to receiving platform(Fig. 2) a piece of flat sheet iron or tin, or the like, having one sidebent up may take the place of the removing board 8 and quilt 7. Thiswill prevent any bees from escaping in the same manner as would theremoving board with quilts attached. Vhen the crates of honey have beenslid OE and removed, the fresh crates can be placed on the sheet ironand held in such a position that they will be correctly placed on thehive preparatory to placing them in the hive. The sheet iron may bedrawn from beneath them. This can be done without letting any of thebees escape. The quilts or other coverings can also be placed on thehive in the same manner if required or this plate could be pushed inbetween the hive and the crates of honey before they were slid on to theplatform. When it is desired to put a fresh crate or crates on the hivein place of those removed with honey, the fresh crates having the usualquilt or covering held on top can be placed on the quilt or covering 7when the removing board (8) has been taken off. The crates can be heldin the correct position on the hive and the quilt or covering 7positioned by the removing board 8, drawn out without letting any beesescape. The top can then be put on the hive and the entrance opened,

It will be seen that this apparatus for removing the honey may be usedif desired with the aid of gloves or a veil or any known kind ofstupefier or any device by which the bees are rendered unconscious.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for obtaining the honey frombeehives having in combination a removable crate containing thehoneycomb and some of the bees, a platform for receiving said crate andfor preventing the escape of bees therefrom, and a closing member forpreventing the escape of bees from the hive while the said crate isbeing removed therefrom.

2. Apparatus for obtaining the honey from beehives having incombination, a removable crate containing the honey comb and some of thebees, a platform for receiving said crate and for preventing the escapeof bees therefrom, a door in said platform adapted to allow the escapeof bees from said crate, and a closing member for preventing the escapeof bees from the hive while said crate is being removed therefrom.

3. Apparatus for obtaining the honey from beehives, having incombination, a hive, a wall'of said hive having recesses in the topthereof,a removable crate containing the honeycomb and some of the bees,a

platform for receiving said crate and for preventing the escape. of beestherefrom, projections upon said platform adapted to cooperate with saidrecesses, and a closing member for preventing the escape of bees fromsaid hive while the crate is being removed therefrom.

4:. Apparatus for obtaining the honey from beehives having incombination, a hive, a wall of said hive having recesses in the topthereof, a removable crate contain ing the honeycomb and some of thebees, a platform for receiving said crate and for preventing the escapeof bees therefrom, a door in said platform adapted to allow the escapeof bees from said crate, projections upon said platform adapted tocooperate with said recesses and a closing member for preventing theescape of bees from said hive while the crate is being removedtherefrom.

5. Apparatus for obtaining the honey from beehives having in combinationa removable crate containing the honeycomb and some of the bees, aplatform for receiving said crate and for preventing the escape of beestherefrom, a closing member for preventing the escape of bees from thehive while said crate is being removed therefrom, and a quilt attachedto said closing member for the purpose set forth.

6. Apparatus for obtaining the honey from beehives having incombination, a removable crate containing the honeycomb and some of thebees, a platform for receiving said crate and for preventing the escapeof bees therefrom, a door in said platform adapted to allow the escapeof bees from said crate, a closing member for preventing the escape ofbees from said hive while the crate is being removed therefrom and aquilt attached to said closing member for the purpose set forth.

7 Apparatus for obtaining the honey from beehives having in combination,a hive, a wall of said hive having recesses in the top thereof, aremovable crate containing the honeycomb and some of the bees, aplatform for receiving said crate and for preventing the escape of beestherefrom, a door in said platform adapted to allow the escape ofbeesfrom said crate, projections upon said platform adapted to cooperatewith name to this specification in the presence of said gecesses, aciolsing member (for previnttwo subscribing Witnesses. in t e escape 0ees from sai hive W ile thb crate is being removed therefrom and a HENRYEDWARD JOLY' 5 quilt attached to said closing member for Witnesses:

the purpose set forth, JAMES ROBINSON,

In testimony whereof I have signed my VALENTINE FRANCIS KIRWAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

